Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd announced that over the past year it has succeeded in introducing more than a half dozen technological advancements that extend battery life in notebooks, MP3 players, digital cameras, video camcorders, multimedia phones and cellular handsets.

These design improvements are part of a concentrated effort by the company to move to more energy-efficient chip and display designs, utilizing nano-scale technology breakthroughs, new sensor technology and advanced manufacturing techniques.

'Great strides'"Anticipating the increasing need for energy-conserving, power-efficient products, we have made great strides in getting laptops and mobile devices to run faster and longer by aggressively pursuing the development of more efficient chips," said Kevin Lee, VP, memory marketing Samsung Semiconductor Inc.

"We have challenged our R&D teams to develop new displays based on advanced technology that will not only produce better user experiences, but at the same time, improve the energy-efficiency of consumer electronics," added Scott Birnbaum, VP, Samsung LCD Business.

Over the past seven months, Samsung Semiconductor has made major energy-saving advancements in a wide range of components that together have a substantial effect on prolonging battery life. Among the products are solid state drives that consume a third of the laptop power (.5W) consumed by comparably sized HDDs (1.5W). Also, 2.1-inch LCD screens extend battery life in mobile phones by automatically adjusting the screen brightness to reduce the amount of backlighting when ambient lighting is already sufficient.

80% power savingsSamsung SoCs for hybrid hard drives reduce laptop power consumption up to 80 percent compared to conventional HDDs. Meanwhile, embedded DRAM features 40 percent power reduction in mobile devices when designed into SoCs, such as Samsung's DV-1 chip, for mobile devices including next-generation smart phones, portable music players and handheld PDAs.

CMOS image sensors for mobile phone cameras now use 1/10 the power of widely used CCD image sensors, reducing battery consumption and power charges while prolonging the usage span of CE devices such as mobile phone cameras and digital still cameras.

New Mobile DRAM chips (using 80nm production process) with temperature sensors reduce mobile phone power drain by more than 30 percent. In addition, DDR3 memory chips use only 1.5V of power and adopt improved circuit designs with a reduction in power consumption by more than 20 percent over DDR2.

Samsung also uses a new wafer-level-processed stacked packaging technique that reduces current leakage in multistack memory packages another 30 percent.

The company plans to deliver more power savings for laptops and mobile devices with new generations of "fusion memory" chips, such as the OneDRAM chip developed earlier this year.

Google latitude is fantastic application by Google . This applications is based on Google Maps for Mobile. This application helps its users track each other’s current location on the map no matter where you in the world.

The application is still in its infant stages where the application has not been put to innovative and out-of-the-box use. Nonetheless we are starting to see some very creative implementations of the application.

Google just announced Latitude app integration with its most popular social networking service, Orkut. Once installed on Orkut it tracks your existing friends on latitude and shows their current location within Orkut.

It shows an IBM 1GB hard disk (yes, that huge, bulky thing is actually a hard disk drive) manufactured in late 80s. On top left is a hand holding the modern version of 1GB, a 1GB SD card. It gives us an idea of how much advancement the computer hardware industry has gone through the last two decades.

However the actual answer is two weighings. The technique is to split the balls into three approximately equal groups, here we have 3,3,2. Then weigh the 3,3 groups against each other, if they are the same, then weigh the two remaining balls against one another. If one of the two 3,3 groups are heavier, then select that group and weigh any of the two balls against one another, if one is heavy, then you got the ball, if both are equal, then the third one of the group is the heavier.

Decision Tree

Apple iPhoneThe iPhone is claimed by Apple themselves to be the best iPod ever. Although Apple didn't reinvent the wheel with the iPhone, they did add some features that make the iPhone stand out in the crowd. Like the presence of 8 GB or 16 GB built-in memory (which was rare back when the iPhone was announced), full-screen album art, Coverflow feature to browse through your albums with the flick of your finger, integration with the iTunes store so you can download your music, videos and podcasts directly on your phone and compatibility with all the iPod docks out there.Add to that excellent sound quality and 24 hours of audio playback time and you have a fantastic device in your hand. What's not so hot however, are the poor quality loudspeaker and the absence of A2DP. But if you are ready to overlook that then the iPhone is probably the best music phone that you can buy.

Samsung INNOV8

The Samsung INNOV8 is not exactly a music phone per se but its audio performance is strong enough to merit it a place in this list. It comes with the option of an 8 GB or 16 GB built-in memory with a microSD card slot for further expanding it up to another 16 GB. This means you can have a massive 32 GB of memory for your music. It includes a 3.5 mm headphone jack for connecting your own headphones. Most importantly the sound quality is excellent. However, at Rs. 37,000 the INNOV8 is an expensive phone. But if you have the cash this phone is one of the best phone's that you can get for music playback.

Sony Ericsson W980iThe Sony Ericsson W980i soon after its launch won the EISA award for Best European Music Phone and not without a reason. The W980i takes the already impressive sound quality of the Walkman phones and takes it up a notch making it a great device for audiophiles. The phone also comes with a pair of high quality in-ear headphones, so you don't have to bother with any other pair of headphones. There are dedicated music keys located on the exterior of the clamshell that can be used for controlling your music. There are also some funky orange LEDs that blink to the beat of your music. The phone has an enormous 8 GB of built-in memory to carry your entire music library with you. Priced at Rs. 20,000 the W980i is for the audiophiles and promises excellent audio performance right out of the box.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusicNokia's flagship music phone is also its best yet. For starters it boasts of the best sound quality from Nokia so far and is right up there with the industry best. It has a large touchscreen that shows your album art and the music controls. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack and stereo speakers that are nice and loud. Then there is the usual long list of supported formats along with Bluetooth stereo headphone and FM radio. More importantly the phone comes with an 8 GB memory card bundled with it and can be expanded up to 16 GB in case you need even more storage. Priced at Rs. 19,000 the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is a great buy.

Motorola ZN5Although not a music phone in the strictest sense, the ZN5 has most of the things that make a good music phone. First and foremost it has excellent sound quality, an essential for any music phone. It also comes with a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. The music player supports a long list of formats and comes with a 2 GB card as standard (which can be further expanded up to 8 GB), while Bluetooth A2DP and FM radio complete the list. The only thing that you might want are a pair of dedicated music keys, but barring that the Motorola ZN5 is a good music phone that won't disappoint. Priced at Rs. 15,000 it is highly recommended.

Sony Ericsson W595t was Sony Ericsson that first brought in the music phone concept back in 2005 and made other manufacturers sit up and take notice. Now, even though every manufacturer has their own list of music phones, Sony Ericsson is still at the top with 26 music phones so far.One of their recent phones, W595, is also a great little device. Its forte is the dual headphone jack with which you can connect two pairs of headphones at the time to the phone. It also comes with stereo loudspeakers built-in. While testing I found that the W595 offered good sound quality, especially through the loudspeakers. It also supports a wide range of formats such as MP3, AAC, eAAC+, WMA and WAV. Then there is also the support for Bluetooth stereo headset and FM radio. Overall at Rs. 14,000 the W595 is a great choice.

Samsung BEAT 450The phone supports a wide range of formats, which can be further expanded by third party applications that the BEAT 450 supports, thanks to the Symbian S60 platform on which it runs. The phone also supports Bluetooth stereo headsets and has a built-in FM radio. Priced at Rs. 11,000 the Samsung BEAT 450 is a really good music phone.

Nokia 5320 XpressMusicNokia 5320 earns its place in this list as it offers solid features and performance at an affordable price. For starters it supports a long list of formats natively, which includes MP3, AAC, eAAC+, WMA and WAV. Also, since it is a Symbian S60 handset, you can install third party software that can play additional formats such as OGG, FLAC, etc. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack and dedicated music keys on the handset, so you can control the playback of your music even if you are not in the music player application.Sound quality offered by the 5320 is excellent with good clarity and bass. The phone comes with a 1 GB card bundled and you can expand it further up to 8 GB by microSDHC cards. As for the battery life the phone is capable of a stunning 24 hours of continuous playback. At Rs. 10,050 I believe the 5320 XpressMusic is an excellent music phone.

Motorola EM30The younger sibling of the ROKR E8, the EM30 has basically everything in it that the E8 has, except for the 2 GB built-in memory and the Omega wheel. The phone supports MP3, WAV, AAC, WMA, Enhanced AAC+, MIDI, AMR NB, Real Audio, AAC+ formats. The EM30 inherits the excellent sound quality of the E8 and also has a 3.5mm headphone jack for connecting your own headphones, along with Bluetooth A2DP profile for connecting your wireless stereo headset. The EM30 also has an FM radio and a music recognition service.It comes with a 1 GB card in the bundle and can be expanded up to 8 GB. The battery is rated to last up to 13 hours of continuous music playback, which is great. Priced at Rs. 7800, the EM30 is a solid music phone that won't burn a hole in your wallet.

has released an update for Google Chrome via its Preview Channel which gives users the option to remove thumbnails from the New Tab Page .The latest Chrome version for those signed up for the Preview was released on Thursday.

Along with more control over the thumbnails this version also gives users the option to undo an accidental tab close. This very useful undo close tab feature has been incorporated owing to increased demand for the same. Chrome's Beta and normal versions already come with the feature; but you would require to open a new tab and then click on the recently closed options.

The aforementioned features are available only for those who have signed up for the Dev Channel releases.

For normal beta seekers, Google has announced an update to the existing Beta version on Wednesday . This one fixes some bugs and crashes.

This is one gem, that I got from a friend of mine. The puzzle in its simplest form goes like this:

There are a set of 8 balls. Out of which 7 are of same mass, and the remaining one is heavier than the rest. What is the minimum number of weighings required to find out the heavier ball? i.e. How many times do you require to use the balance?

Try to solve this puzzle at ur best........i will tell u the answer on monday.Let me see hw many of u r the real challenger's.........

Most see airport security as a pain. Some feel violated. When you watch this clip, you'll understand why they want your cell phone through

the x-ray machine. If you get asked to test your cell phone at the airport, this is the reason. Cell phone guns have arrived.

They are real. The attached video clip shows how cell

phone guns operate. These phones are not in the U.S.

yet, but they are in use overseas.

Beneath the digital phone face is a .22 caliber handgun capable of firing four rounds in rapid succession using the standard telephone keypad. European law enforcement officials are stunned by the discovery of these deadly decoys. They say phone guns are changing the rules of engagement in Europe. Only when you have one in your hand do you realize that they are heavier than a regular cell phone.

Be patient if security asks to look at your cell phone or

turn it on to show that it works. They have a good reason! Wake up to our NEW WORLD!! We shouldn't complain

A group of scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute claims they've created just such a battery, one that uses the electrolytes naturally found in bodily fluids. The results of the research, detailed in the Aug. 13, 2007, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are generating some excitement as part of a new crop of "bio-batteries" that run off of bodily fluids or other organic compounds. (The RPI team claims that theirs could even run on tears or urine.)

RPI batteries:-

RPI's battery is paper-thin, can be cut into a variety of shapes and runs on blood or sweat.

The battery is not only as thin as paper; it essentially is paper. At least 90 percent of the battery is made from cellulose, which makes up traditional paper and other paper products [source: RPI]. Aligned carbon nanotubes make up the other 10 percent, give the paper its conductive abilities and also make it black. The nanotubes are imprinted in the very fabric of the paper, creating what's called a nanocomposite paper. One of the paper's authors said that the battery "looks, feels and weighs the same as paper" [source: RPI].

Using nanotechnology, the battery's small size, flexibility and replenishing electrolyte source -- that is, as long as you eat -- make it ideal for medical applications. When using the battery away from the human body, scientists soaked the paper in an ionic fluid (a salt in liquid form), which provides the electrolytes.

The battery's paper-like construction grants it significant flexibility. The RPI research team believes that the battery could, in the future, be printed in long sheets, which could then be cut into small, custom-shaped batteries. The nanocomposite paper can have holes poked in it or be cut into unusual shapes and continue to function. Several sheets could be lumped together to power medical implants, such as pacemakers, artificial hearts or advanced prosthetics. The battery would easily fit under the skin without causing any discomfort.

Because the ionic liquid used doesn't freeze or evaporate like water, the battery could be employed at a wide range of temperatures: from -100 degrees Fahrenheit up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Its temperature resistance and light weight mean that manufacturers of automobiles and airplanes -- both of which require light, durable materials -- may come calling.

The researchers behind the battery claim that their device is unique because it can act "as both a high-energy battery and a high-power supercapacitor" [source: RPI]. Supercapacitors allow for large, quick bursts of energy, potentially extending the technology's already wide range of applications.

The battery, which is considered environmentally friendly because of its lack of chemicals and high cellulose content, was announced in the summer of 2007, but it may be years before it's ready to stream off production lines in long sheets. The RPI research team says that, in the meantime, they're trying to boost the battery's efficiency and to figure out the best method for production.

It's not just researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnique Institute who are working on bio-batteries. Many other corporations, universities and research foundations are competing to produce viable batteries that can be powered off of organic compounds, especially human fluids. Researchers consider sugar and human blood glucose potentially valuable sources of power because they occur naturally, are easily accessible and don't produce harmful emissions.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will on Monday put in orbit its first radar imaging satellite (Risat), which can watch'the earth under all-weather conditions, day and night.

Isro's workhorse PSLV (C-12) will take off at 6.45am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, an island by the sea 100km north of Chennai. About 17 minutes later, the 300-kg Risat will be put in an orbit 550km from the earth. Riding piggyback on Risat will be a microsatellite called Anusat, developed by Anna University, Chennai.

"The countdown will start 48 hours before take-off (Saturday morning). As of now, everything is going on fine. Risat, which can penetrate clouds and observe earth under all climatic conditions, will be extremely useful in disaster management," Isro spokesperson S Satish told TOI. Unlike Isro's previous remote sensing satellites that used optical imaging, Risat uses synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that has several antennasto receive signals that will be processed into high-resolution pictures.

While its applications in mapping and managing natural disasters such as floods and landslides are spoken about, Risat will come in handy for defence applications as well. Isro had started work on a 1,780-kg Risat, but shelved its launch to advance the launch of the present 300-kg variant. Defence sources confide that the lighter Risat version was assembled on a war footing in the wake of terrorist attacks. "Risat has been put together with inputs from the Israeli Space Agency (ISA), but the satellite imageswill be used solely for Indian purposes," Satish said.

Also in the PSLV-C12 payload will be Anusat, the first satellite to be assembled by an Indian university. "Scores of students and faculty members from different streams have been working on Anusat for six years," said Anusat project director P V Ramakrishna. Anusat will be a store-and-forward communication satellite that will enable transfer of confidential academic material like exam question papers, to get rid of leakages.

PSLV-C11 had, on October 22, 2008, carried the lunar probe as part of Chandrayaan-I. Ever since it launched the first satellite Aryabhatta on April 1, 1975, Isro has launched more than a dozen satellites, including the INSAT (Indian National Satellites) series for communication, broadcasting and meteorology and IRS (Indian Remote Sensing Satellites) for resources monitoring and management.

As you all know day by day people giving up mass transit and opting to buy their own vehicle which gradually made the automobile industry hot. Nowadays we can experience an increase in vehicles as well as traffic but without caring about the future the automobile industry is firing up the market with brand new models and features that inspires customers to buy their own vehicle.

Born out of this competition, came up these three beasts that burn up the Indian roads. They are none other than Bajaj Pulsar 250cc, TVS Taurus Fiero f3 and Yamaha Fazer 250. Economic bike drivers please stay away from this post and keep worrying about your petrol consumptions while young energetic drivers out there I am sure these bikes will quench your test. The main catch about these bikes are their 250 Cubic capacities but they inherit different design and performance.

Hope everyone will eagerly be waiting for launch of these vehicles in India but until then I want your personal suggestion of which bike outta 3 will rock?

So go ahead and post your comments for which out of these three bikes goanna rock the Indian roads and why?

Dell XPS - Dell used to be a market leader in all their products series long back but now its position has been taken by many other laptop manufacturers, and Dell has recently launched a new model - The XPS 1730 which is a powerful notebook with Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz) / T7500 (2.2GHz) / T7700 (2.4GHz) / X7800 (2.6GHz) processor and is the first laptop to have intel’s latest Core 2 extreme x 7800 mobile processor.

Sony vaio-famous for high performance, neat designs , light weight and best of all the other laptops.

Honda Stunner CBF

After partial success of Unicorn and not so shining performance by the Shine, HMSI was desperate to bring forth a product that would combine looks, performance and efficiency to optimum. As a result Honda launched a motorcycle that magnificently justifies its name, the all new 125 CC Honda Stunner CBF.

Stunner surely is the sportiest looking bike in its class. The integrated fairing at the front, the two tone paint job, stylish yet sober stickering, all add up to the sporty claims of the stunner. Powered by a 125 cc engine, the bike produces a healthy 11 bhp at 8000 rpm. Breaking the 60 kmph barrier in just 5.2 seconds, its performance makes it highly competitive product in the Indian Market. Honda still pursuing with the twin shock formula, has provided stunner with box section swingarm, tubeless tyres and good ground clearance for better ride quality and handling. Overall, Honda CBF Stunner is soothing to the eyes and a pleasure to ride in Indian conditions. The stunner is positioned in the price band of Rs 47,020 to 51, 655 ex-showroom Delhi.

Integrated fairing and colour combination further the sporty appeal of the bike.

Has better handling and improved ride quality.

Quote-Unquote

"The new bike promises to provide its customers an ultimate experience of a true Honda bike. The new bike is a reflection of Honda's worldwide sports bikes. In India, we will continue to bring exciting products and be a full line company by 2010 starting with 100cc motorcycles and fun bikes."

Said HMSI president and CEO S. Aoyama

Color Options in Honda Stunner CBF

Sports Red

Pearl sports Yellow

Space Silver metallic

Black

Kick drum models will only be available in Sports Red and Black

Price of Honda Stunner CBF

The Price ranges from Rs 47, 020 to Rs 51,655 ex-showroom Delhi.

(Please Note: The prices are ex-showroom and based on the close approximation. Please check the latest prices and variant specifications with your dealer)

Believe It or Not!, an American vegetarian held 11 Madagascan Hissing Cockroaches in his mouth for ten seconds to beat the world record. Previously, the record was only nine of the two-to-three inch insects. Mr. Fessler, the champ, is no stranger to the bugs: he owns over 1,000 as pets! Ewww.

This is crazy! Cairns Post, an Australian news source, got this story of a spider that actually caught and ate a snake! The 14cm-long snake was found tangled in the spider’s web and over a few days, the spider killed the snake, rolled it up in the web, and ate it! Believe It or Not!Image 12 of 12

Rick Murray has spent over $4000 USD and 24 tattoo hours turning himself into a tattooed skeleton....

Overview

The introduction of the Nano received media attention due to its targeted low price. The Financial Times reported[16]: "If ever there were a symbol of India’s ambitions to become a modern nation, it would surely be the Nano, the tiny car with the even tinier price-tag. A triumph of homegrown engineering, the $2,200 (€1,490, £1,186) Nano encapsulates the dream of millions of Indians groping for a shot at urban prosperity." The car is expected to boost the Indian economy, create entrepreneurial-opportunities across India[17][18], as well as expand the Indian car market by 65%[19]. The car was envisioned by Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors, who has described it as an eco-friendly "people's car". Nano has been greatly appreciated by many sources and the media for its low-cost[20][21] and eco-friendly initiatives which include using compressed-air as fuel[22] and an electric-version (E-Nano)[23][24]. Tata Group is expected to mass-manufacture the Nano, particularly the electric-version, and, besides selling them in India, to also export them worldwide[25][26][27].

Critics of the car have questioned its safety in India (where reportedly 90,000 people are killed in road-accidents every year[28]), and have also criticised the pollution that it would cause[29] (including criticism by Nobel Peace Prize winner Rajendra Pachauri[30]). However, Tata Motors has promised that it would definitely release Nano's eco-friendly models alongside the gasoline-model[31][32].

The Nano was originally to have been manufactured at a new factory in Singur, West Bengal, but increasingly violent protests forced Tata to pull out October 2008. (See Singur factory pullout below.) Currently, Tata Motors is reportedly manufacturing Nano at its existing Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) plant and a mother plant has been proposed for Sanand Gujarat.[33]. The company will bank on existing dealer network for Nano initially.[34] The new Nano Plant could have a capacity of 5,00,000 units, compared to 3,00,000 for Singur. Gujarat has also agreed to match all the incentives offered by West Bengal government.[35]

Ratan Tata, the Chairman of Tata Motors, began development of the world's cheapest production car in 2003,[36] inspired by the number of Indian families with two-wheeled rather than four-wheeled vehicles.[37] The Nano's development has been tempered[clarification needed] by the company's success in producing the low cost 4 wheeled Ace truck in May 2005.[36]

Contrary to speculation that the car might be a simple four-wheeled auto rickshaw, The Times of India reported the vehicle is "a properly designed and built car".[38] The Chairman is reported to have said, "It is not a car with plastic curtains or no roof — it's a real car."[36]

To achieve its design goals, Tata refined the manufacturing process, emphasized innovation and sought new design approaches from suppliers.[38] The car was designed at Italy's Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering — with Ratan Tata requesting certain changes, such as the elimination of one of two windscreen wipers.[36] Some components of the Nano are made in Germany by Bosch, such as Fuel Injection, brake system, Value Motronic ECU, ABS and other technologies.[39]

The Nano has 21% more interior space (albeit mostly as headroom, due to its tall stance) and an 8% smaller exterior compared to its closest rival, the Maruti 800. Tata offered the car in three versions: the basic Tata Nano Std; the Cx; and the Lx. The Cx and Lx versions each have air conditioning, power windows, and central locking. Tata has set its initial production target at 250,000 units per year.[citation needed]

Researchers at the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Cornell University have capitalized on a process for manufacturing integrated circuits at the nanometer (billionth of a meter) level and used it to develop a method for engineering the first-ever nanoscale fluidic (nanofluidic) device with complex three-dimensional surfaces. The Lilliputian chamber is a prototype for future tools with custom-designed surfaces to manipulate and measure different types of nanoparticles in solution.

Among the potential applications for this technology: the processing of nanomaterials for manufacturing; the separation and measuring of complex nanoparticle mixtures for drug delivery, gene therapy and nanoparticle toxicology; and the isolation and confinement of individual DNA strands for scientific study as they are forced to unwind and elongate (DNA typically coils into a ball-like shape in solution) within the shallowest passages of the device.

Nanofluidic devices are usually fabricated by etching tiny channels into a glass or silicon wafer with the same lithographic procedures used to manufacture circuit patterns on computer chips. These flat rectangular channels are then topped with a glass cover that is bonded in place. Because of the limitations inherent to conventional nanofabrication processes, almost all nanofluidic devices to date have had simple geometries with only a few depths. This limits their ability to separate mixtures of nanoparticles with different sizes or study the nanoscale behavior of biomolecules (such as DNA) in detail.

To solve the problem, NIST's Samuel Stavis and Michael Gaitan teamed with Cornell's Elizabeth Strychalski to develop a lithographic process to fabricate nanofluidic devices with complex 3-D surfaces. As a demonstration of their method, the researchers constructed a nanofluidic chamber with a "staircase" geometry etched into the floor. The "steps" in this staircase—each level giving the device a progressively increasing depth from 10 nanometers (approximately 6,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair) at the top to 620 nanometers (slightly smaller than an average bacterium) at the bottom—are what give the device its ability to manipulate nanoparticles by size in the same way a coin sorter separates nickels, dimes and quarters.

The NIST-Cornell nanofabrication process utilizes grayscale photolithography to build 3-D nanofluidic devices. Photolithography has been used for decades by the semiconductor industry to harness the power of light to engrave microcircuit patterns onto a chip. Circuit patterns are defined by templates, or photomasks, that permit different amounts of light to activate a photosensitive chemical, or photoresist, sitting atop the chip material, or substrate.

Conventional photolithography uses photomasks as "black-or-white stencils" to remove either all or none of the photoresist according to a set pattern. The "white" parts of the pattern—those that let light through—are then etched to a single depth into the substrate. Grayscale photolithography, on the other hand, uses "shades of gray" to activate and sculpt the photoresist in three dimensions. In other words, light is transmitted through the photomask in varying degrees according to the "shades" defined in the pattern. The amount of light permitted through determines the amount of exposure of the photoresist, and, in turn, the amount of photosensitive chemical removed after development.

The NIST-Cornell nanofabrication process takes advantage of this characteristic, allowing the researchers to transfer a 3-D pattern for nanochannels of numerous depths into a glass substrate with nanometer precision using a single etch.

The result is the "staircase" that gives the 3-D nanofluidic device its versatility.

Size exclusion of nanoparticles and confinement of individual DNA strands in the 3-D nanofluidic device is accomplished using electrophoresis, the method of moving charged particles through a solution by forcing them forward with an applied electric field. In these novel experiments, the NIST-Cornell researchers tested their device with two different solutions: one containing 100-nanometer-diameter polystyrene spheres and the other containing 20-micrometer (millionth of a meter)-length DNA molecules from a virus that infects the common bacterium Escherichia coli. In each experiment, the solution was injected into the deep end of the chamber and then electrophoretically driven across the device from deeper to shallower levels. Both the spheres and DNA strands were tagged with fluorescent dye so that their movements could be tracked with a microscope.

In the trials using rigid nanoparticles, the region of the 3-D nanofluidic device where the channels were less than 100 nanometers in depth stayed free of the particles. In the viral DNA trials, the genetic material appeared as coiled in the deeper channels and elongated in the shallower ones. These results show that the 3-D nanofluidic device successfully excluded rigid nanoparticles based on size and deformed (uncoiled) the flexible DNA strands into distinct shapes at different steps of the staircase.

Currently, the researchers are working to separate and measure mixtures of different-sized nanoparticles and investigate the behavior of DNA captured in a 3-D nanofluidic environment.

In a previous project, the NIST-Cornell researchers used heated air to create nanochannels with curving funnel-shaped entrances in a process they dubbed "nanoglassblowing." Like its new 3-D cousin, the nanoglassblown nanofluidic device facilitates the study of individual DNA strands.

The work described in the Nanotechnology paper was supported in part by the National Research Council Research Associateship Program and Cornell's Nanobiotechnology Center, part of the National Science Foundation's Science and Technology Center Program. The 3-D nanofluidic devices were fabricated at the Cornell Nanoscale Science and Technology Facility and the Cornell Center for Materials Research, and characterized at the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology. All experiments were performed at the NIST laboratories in Maryland.

As a non-regulatory agency, NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.

Flexible display screens and cheap solar cells can become a reality through research and development in organic electronics. Physicists at Umeå University in Sweden have now developed a new and simple method for producing cheap electronic components

“The method is simple and can therefore be of interest for future mass production of cheap electronics,” says physicist Ludvig Edman.

Organic chemistry is a rapidly expanding research field that promises exciting and important applications such as flexible display screens and cheap solar cells. One attractive feature is that organic electronic materials can be processed from a solution.

Electronic components with various functions can then be created by patterning the film with a specific structure. Until now it has proven to be problematic to carry out this patterning in a simple way without destroying the electronic properties of the organic material.

“We have now developed a method that enables us to create patterns in an efficient and gentle way. With the patterned organic material as a base, we have managed to produce well-functioning transistors,” says Ludvig Edman.

A thin film of an organic electronic material, a so-called fullerene, is first painted on a selected surface. The parts of the film that are to remain in place are directly exposed to laser light. Then the whole film can be developed by rinsing it with a solution. A well-defined pattern then emerges where the laser light hit the surface.

A key advantage with this method of patterning is that it is both simple and scalable, which means that it can be useful in future production of cheap and flexible electronics in an assembly line process.

Other researchers involved in developing the method are Andrzej Dzwilewski and Thomas Wågberg.

The findings are presented in the publication Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Reliance Communications (RCom) announced the launch of a new Jaadu voucher priced at Rs 45 for its GSM prepaid subscribers in UP and Uttarakhand.

The new recharge voucher offers local RCom to RCom calls made to GSM as well as CDMA networks at 30 paise per minute while calls to other networks will be charged 60 paise per minute. Even the STD calls will be charged 60 paise per minute.

Additionally subscribers will be offered Rs 20 worth of talk time. Night calling will be offered free to RCom’s network within UP and Uttarakhand. The voucher comes with a validity period of 90 days.

Are you one of those people who joined an Orkut or a Facebook to get in touch with your old pals and accidentally found the love of your life there? Do you think that technology has added spice to your life or revived an old spark? Has your virtual social network become an indispensable part of your life now? Then, there are many like you out there.

According to the second annual Norton Online Living Report, 37 percent of adults are using the Internet to rekindle a romantic relationship in India. Seven in 10 adults say that the Internet has improved their relationships. Also, one in three people flirt online in India!

The study goes on to say that adults in China (86 percent), India (83 percent), and Brazil (82 percent) are most likely to make friends online, while those in France (32 percent) and Japan (38 percent) are the least likely to make friends online.

It adds that the Internet has become such a central vehicle for socially communicating and connecting that six in 10 adults say that they cannot live without it. The report reveals that 92 percent people use emails to communicate with friends and family, 42 percent use webcams, with very high usage in China (74 percent), India (68 percent), Brazil (66 percent), and France (53 percent).

Quite obviously, the study said that males tend to have more online friends than females, and three in four have gone on to meet someone in person who they originally met online.

The study also mentions that one in four have shared a secret online relationship and one in four find it easier to discuss touchy subjects online than in person or by phone.

Google (GOOG) is in negotiations to buy messaging startup Twitter, San Francisco's hot startup du jour, according to TechCrunch's Michael Arrington. One of Arrington's sources says the deal is in "late stage" negotiations, while another says the deal is in "fairly early stages" and that the companies are also just talking about working together on a "Google real time search engine."

There is a price for everything. But unless Google is offering a fortune -- in cash -- it's too early for Twitter to sell itself.

Twitter is flush with cash, having just raised another $35 million at a $250 million valuation. Its growth shows no signs of slowing, it has little competition beyond Facebook -- which has struggled to elegantly replicate Twitter's real-time chatter -- and has only just started trying to make money, with several revenue opportunities ahead.

If the price is right -- $750 million to $1 billion in cash -- Twitter and its investors are smart to take the money and run. Twitter doesn't want to become the next Digg, which wasn't able to sell itself at the peak of the Web 2.0 bubble, and now will have to do a lot of work to get a big deal. But we still think Twitter is in a very good position to become the "rails" that the real-time Web rides on... and that could be worth a LOT of money someday.

Meanwhile, why would Google want Twitter? It's not making any meaningful money. And while that doesn't usually stop Google -- see YouTube, etc. -- sales and profitability are more important today than in 2006.

The difference between Twitter and YouTube: Twitter actually has significant relevance to Google's main search business. As Twitter's popularity increases -- which it is, rapidly -- the idea of "real-time search" will be increasingly important to Google.

Surely Google could build a decent real-time Twitter search function, the way it was able to easily blow Technorati's blog search engine out of the water. But by acquiring Twitter, it could do so with minimal mess, while keeping another prized deal out of Microsoft's (or Facebook's) hands.

And it would own the messaging infrastructure that many promising companies are starting to base their businesses on, which itself could be worth a lot of money someday. So, depending on the deal size, Twitter is worth the cash, even without much revenue to show for itself.